Solenoid valve and dispenser



A ril 11, 1961 .1. WITHERSPOON, JR 2,979,231

SOLENOID VALVE AND DISPENSER Filed. March 14, 1958 Ufliwd S es a eSOLENOID VALVE AND DISPENSER Jack Witherspoon, Jr., Knoxville, Tenn.,assignor to RobertshaW-Fulton Controls Company, Richmond, Va., acorporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 14, 1958, Ser. N 721,559

4 Claims. (Cl. 222-4535) This invention relates to control devices andmore particularly to a solenoid operated device for initiating andcontrolling a flow of fluid.

It is an object of this invention to produce a simple and inexpensivefluid dispenser It is another object of this invention to initiate andcontrol a flow of fluid.

It is another object of this invention to simplify the reloadingoperation for a fluid dispenser.

It is a further object of this invention to prevent clogging of a fluiddispenser.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a fluiddispenser which is adapted to receive fluid from disposable containers.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, a device is provided toinitiate and control the flow of detergent from a disposable containerto a washing appliance. The disposable container is provided with asealed spout to hold the detergent therein. The sealed spout isthreadedly connected to the control device. The control device comprisesan armature which is actuated by a solenoid disposed therearound. Thearmature is provided with a conical shape at either end.

In normal position, one end of the armature closes an orifice in a valveseat. The armature moves upward in response to the initial inrush ofcurrent to the solenoid and the conical point on the other end of thearmature punctures the spout seal. Thereafter, the armature settles toan intermediate position between the spout seal and the valve seat wherea coil spring biasing the armature downward is neutralized by themagnetic force on the armature. After the desired amount of detergent isdispensed, the solenoid is de-energized and the coil spring biases thearmature to close the orifice in the valve seat.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing where-in:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of the subject device with portions thereofbroken away and sectioned;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. lwith parts broken away and sectioned; and

Fig. 3 is a top view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with the fluidcontainer removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a control device 10 isinterposed between a liquid detergent supply 12 and an outlet fitting14. The outlet fitting 14 is mounted in an appropriate location in adishwasher, laundry machine, or similar appliance (not shown) andreceives washing fluid through nozzle 16 from an external source (notshown). The washing fluid mixes with a fluid detergent 18 from supply 12and passes through an outlet nozzle 20 to the washing appliance.

The detergent supply 12 comprises a pressurized fluid container 22having a liquid detergent18 therein and also a gas or vapor 24 which isadapted to force the detergent 18 from the container 22. The container22 is provided 2,979,231 Patented Apr. 11, 1961 with an externallythreaded spout 26 which is adapted to mate with an internally threadedhexagonal head portion 28 of a solenoid tube 30. A tight seal 32 isprovided on spout 26 to prevent the escape of fluid and it overlies abore 34 in head portion 28 when the container 22 is screwed into place.

A polygonal, preferably hexagonal-shaped armature 36 is disposed in thesolenoid tube 30 and is movable to a plurality of positions therein inresponse to current flow in a solenoid 38 which surrounds the tube. Asuitable mounting means 40 is provided on the bottom of solenoid 38 anda pair of terminals 42 extend outwardly from an intermediate portion ofthe solenoid. These terminals 42 are adapted to be connected to anexternal circuit (not shown) which is operable to control the positionof the armature 36.

The opening within tube 30 extends into the head portion 28 thereof andcommunicates with the bore 34 which is slightly smaller in diameter thanthe tube opening to form an annular shoulder 44. A coil spring 46 hasone end seated on shoulder 44 and the other end bears against armature36 to bias it in a downward direction.

The bottom of tube 30 is flared to form an annular flange 4 8 whichforms a union fitting with a hex nut 50 provided at the bottom of thesolenoid 38. The hex nut 50 is internally threaded and receives anexternally threaded portion 56 of the outlet fitting 14. A syntheticrubber valve seat 58 having a centrally disposed orifice 60 therein isprovided at the bot-tom of the tube 30. The threaded portion 56 ofoutlet fitting 14 compresses a flared portion 62 on the valve seat 58against the flange 48 on tube 30 to form a tight seal therewith. Thisseal prevents leakage from the tube 30.

Means is provided on the armature'36 for initiatingfluid flow from thesealed detergent container 22. This means comprises a projection 64which is formed on the upper end of armature 36 and has a conical-shapedpoint 66 thereon. On upward movement of the armature 36 against theaction of coil spring 46, the point 66 is adapted to puncture the seal32 on the spout 26 of the detergent container 22. 7

Means is also provided on the armature 36 for controlling the flow ofdetergent 18. More particularly, the lower portion 68 of the armature 36is formed in the shape of a cone. This conical portion 68 cooperateswith Ehe orifice 60 formed in valve seat 58 to control the fluid Inoperation, the armature 36 normally is biased to the position shown inFig. 2 with the conical-shaped portion 68 closing orifice 60. Anexternal circuit (not shown) is then closed, either automatically ormanually, sending current through the solenoid 38. Since the initialinrush of current to the solenoid is high, the armature 36 travels tothe-end of tube 30 with considerable high force suflicient to cause thepoint 66 on the armature 36 to puncture the seal 32 of container 22.

The coil spring 46 is so selected that after the initial inrush ofcurrent to the solenoid, the armature 36 settles to a positionintermediate the container seal 32 and the valve seat 58 where theupward magnetic force on the armature 36 equals the downward force ofcoil spring 46. The gas or. vapor 24 then forces the liquid detergent 18from the container 22. The liquid then flows around the hexagonal-shapedarmature, through the orifice 60 in the valve seat 58 to the outletfitting 14 where it mixes with fluid entering nozzle 16, and continuesthrough outlet nozzle 20 to a washing appliance (not shown).

When the desired amount of detergent 18 is dispensed, the solenoid 38 isde-energized by opening of the external circuit and the conical-shapedportion 68 on armature 36 is biased by spring 46 to close orifice 60. Onsubsequent operations, the point 66 on the armature will serve to clearthe punctured hole to prevent clogging.

When the container 22 is empty, it is merely discarded and a new one isinstalled, so it is apparent that reloading is thereby simplified. 7

While only a single embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is apparent that many variations in structure andoperation may be made without departing from the scope of this inventionas defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid dispensing device comprising a casing, means on said casingfor securing a fluid container thereto, a solenoid disposed around saidcasing, an armature movable between a plurality of positions in saidcasing, puncturing means on said armature, a valve seat in said casing,means positioned at the lower end of said armature forming a valvemember, said armature moving to one of said plurality of positions inresponse to initial inrush of current in said solenoid to puncture thecontainer and then receding to another of said plurality of positions topermit fluid flow through said casing, and said armature being movableto still another of said plurality of positions in response to cessationof current flow in said solenoid to restrain fluid flow.

2. A fluid dispensing device comprising a casing having a passage forconducting fluid therethrough, means on said casing for securing a fluidcontainer in dispensing relationship with said passage, a solenoiddisposed around said casing, an armature operably associated with saidsolenoid for movement to a plurality of positions in said casing,puncturing means on one end of said armature and a conical valve memberformed on the other end, a valve seat for said valve member associatedwith said casing, said armature moving to one of said plurality ofpositions in response to the initial inrush of current in said solenoidto puncture the container, and means engaging said armature andwithdrawing the same to another of said positions after the initialinrush of current to said solenoid whereby fluid flows through saidcasing, said armature being movable to another of said plurality ofpositions in response to cessation of current flow in said solenoidwhereby said valve member engages said seat to restrain fluid flow.

3. The fluid dispensing device of claim 2 wherein said means engagingthe armature comprises a coil spring adapted to counteract the magneticforce on said armature.

4. A fluid dispensing device comprising a cylindrical casing having anenlarged portion extending from an end thereof adapted to receive thesealed spout of a disposable fluid container, a valve seat partiallyclosing the other end of the cylindrical casing, a solenoid encirclingsaid cylindrical casing, a polygonal shaped armature positioned in saidcylindrical casing and having a valve member formed on an end thereofand cooperating with said valve seat to completely close said other endof the casing when said solenoid is de-energized, puncturing meansdisposed on the other end of said armature and piercing said sealedspout in response to the initial inrush of current in said solenoid, anda coil spring engaging said armature and moving the same to a positionintermediate the ends of said cylindrical casing after the initialinrush of current in said solenoid whereby fluid from said containerflows around said armature and out of said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,684,180 Allen July 20, 1954 2,710,115 Chandler June 7, 1955 2,773,681Robbins Dec. 11, 1956 2,779,504 Hayes Jan. 29, 1957 2,830,743 Rimsha eta1 Apr. 15, 1958

